Hi Jungs,
I would like to do a series of articles on foreign volunteer units, perhaps some of them maybe unknown to you? Anyway, my articles will be based on the answers to the following questions:
1. What "Foreign" units exist in the UK today?
2. What units existed, but have since been disbanded?
3. Has anyone reenacted a foreign unit and why?
4. What units would you like to see formed?
Cheers, Bill
Reenacting Foreign Volunteers in the UK
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Jon Das Reich
Hi Bill,
I havnt seen a unit of foreign volunteer reenactors only individuals.
Ones i have seen are
Richard Underwood has Handschar
James Brown as William Wallace legion
some one portraying WH Croatian volunteer ( that was some years ago)
Within KP1 i have seen guys dressed as BFC, Charlemagne, Nederland, Latvian.
Used to be a Indian guy who used to attend Beltring as India free Legion havnt seen him about for a while.
2-3 Dutch lads used to come along to the odd battle and show as Dutch SS i think as guests of SBG
Seen Spanish Blue division as Beltring but they were from Spain
Don Cossack unit 3-4 members
Forgot to add TFH have some guys portray F.V for photo shoots
I havnt seen a unit of foreign volunteer reenactors only individuals.
Ones i have seen are
Richard Underwood has Handschar
James Brown as William Wallace legion
some one portraying WH Croatian volunteer ( that was some years ago)
Within KP1 i have seen guys dressed as BFC, Charlemagne, Nederland, Latvian.
Used to be a Indian guy who used to attend Beltring as India free Legion havnt seen him about for a while.
2-3 Dutch lads used to come along to the odd battle and show as Dutch SS i think as guests of SBG
Seen Spanish Blue division as Beltring but they were from Spain
Don Cossack unit 3-4 members
Forgot to add TFH have some guys portray F.V for photo shoots
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mark_palmer17
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 1:11 pm
- Location: Peterborough, UK
-
Jon Das Reich
What a tale to tell:
I went through an oddessy to get all the bits together for that impression! Tried to do it on the cheap and get a tunic from Hong Kong, then Singapore, then finally a last minute 'special saturday delivery' from SOF for BIG money!! I now have two m43 tunics (one has now been done french the other Frundsberg).
The medal ribbon came from reading an article in 'militaria' magazine from way back in 1997 in which they had piece with a guy dressed up in pretty much what I wore for the photoshoot the other week. Very interesting stuff. The medal is the 'croix du combattant 1939-40 (vichy)' which was awarded to all those who fought AGAINST the Germans but where allowed to wear it when serving in the WSS and Heer later in the war. I got the ribbon from http://www.worldmedals.co.uk - Roy Wooley is a great guy, very helpful and has a large selection. Mounts whatever you want.
Unfortunately he sent me a 'croix de guerre (vichy)' which was a bit too classy for my private to be wearing and the replacement ribbon didn't arrive till the day after! (It was sent on the 4th april and arived on the 17th - next day recorded delivery!!!) Good old royal mail.
I made the one I'm wearing from, ahem, knicker elastic sewn together with black penned-on stripes. It actually should be sky blue instead of white but hey, there was a lot of dust...
The shield came from SOF and looks ok for the WSS style but isn't quite correct in its manufacture. This isn't a problem as I roughed it up with some glass paper and it came out looking more like the RZM style it should be.
I was a bit upset at not being able to find a BeVo 'charlemagne' cufftitle. Apparently the Pioneer company wore them at the time of the Berlin battle so wearing black piped shoulder straps with the Cuff title would have been great - but it wasn't to be. I'm still looking if anyone know where to find one?
Don't ask me where my interest in the unit has sprung from. I guess it just spoke to me when I read the article in 'militaria' magazine. I would love to get a few of us together and do it properly as a unit sized group. I've been looking into W-Hptstuf Henri Fenet as he was awarded the croix de guerre and the knights cross (got to use those ribbons...).
Cheers for the interest guys. Thanks for the book suggestion Jon, I'll look into that one.
Bon Chance.
I went through an oddessy to get all the bits together for that impression! Tried to do it on the cheap and get a tunic from Hong Kong, then Singapore, then finally a last minute 'special saturday delivery' from SOF for BIG money!! I now have two m43 tunics (one has now been done french the other Frundsberg).
The medal ribbon came from reading an article in 'militaria' magazine from way back in 1997 in which they had piece with a guy dressed up in pretty much what I wore for the photoshoot the other week. Very interesting stuff. The medal is the 'croix du combattant 1939-40 (vichy)' which was awarded to all those who fought AGAINST the Germans but where allowed to wear it when serving in the WSS and Heer later in the war. I got the ribbon from http://www.worldmedals.co.uk - Roy Wooley is a great guy, very helpful and has a large selection. Mounts whatever you want.
Unfortunately he sent me a 'croix de guerre (vichy)' which was a bit too classy for my private to be wearing and the replacement ribbon didn't arrive till the day after! (It was sent on the 4th april and arived on the 17th - next day recorded delivery!!!) Good old royal mail.
I made the one I'm wearing from, ahem, knicker elastic sewn together with black penned-on stripes. It actually should be sky blue instead of white but hey, there was a lot of dust...
The shield came from SOF and looks ok for the WSS style but isn't quite correct in its manufacture. This isn't a problem as I roughed it up with some glass paper and it came out looking more like the RZM style it should be.
I was a bit upset at not being able to find a BeVo 'charlemagne' cufftitle. Apparently the Pioneer company wore them at the time of the Berlin battle so wearing black piped shoulder straps with the Cuff title would have been great - but it wasn't to be. I'm still looking if anyone know where to find one?
Don't ask me where my interest in the unit has sprung from. I guess it just spoke to me when I read the article in 'militaria' magazine. I would love to get a few of us together and do it properly as a unit sized group. I've been looking into W-Hptstuf Henri Fenet as he was awarded the croix de guerre and the knights cross (got to use those ribbons...).
Cheers for the interest guys. Thanks for the book suggestion Jon, I'll look into that one.
Bon Chance.
Mark A - AFRA
Hi Mark,
Nice to see someone dedicated to research/reenacting one of the foreign volunteer units.
Do you have the book "Pour l´Europe" by Robert Forbes?
The French volunteers of the Waffen-SS.
My best friend in London collects waffen-SS militaria and he is a postman.
He delivered post to Robert Forbes and they got talking about the hobby.
The result is that I was able to get a signed copy, one of a limited edition of 500 copies!
There are lots of interesting lists, "Order of Battle" etc,
if there is anything you require scanning, send me a PM
Cheers, Bill
Nice to see someone dedicated to research/reenacting one of the foreign volunteer units.
Do you have the book "Pour l´Europe" by Robert Forbes?
The French volunteers of the Waffen-SS.
My best friend in London collects waffen-SS militaria and he is a postman.
He delivered post to Robert Forbes and they got talking about the hobby.
The result is that I was able to get a signed copy, one of a limited edition of 500 copies!
There are lots of interesting lists, "Order of Battle" etc,
if there is anything you require scanning, send me a PM
Cheers, Bill
Thats the article!
The only book I have that has been any real help is the Men at arms volume by Osprey which details the later ss divisions and foreign legions. That and the militaria magazine is about it. I've seen that Amazon have the ss charlemagne book by Richard Landwehr but it is pricey and the only customer comment is negative (2 out of 5).
Anyone read this book?
Cheers guys,
Ps- more pictures are coming from our photoshoot - up on TFH thread in the photo section!!!
The only book I have that has been any real help is the Men at arms volume by Osprey which details the later ss divisions and foreign legions. That and the militaria magazine is about it. I've seen that Amazon have the ss charlemagne book by Richard Landwehr but it is pricey and the only customer comment is negative (2 out of 5).
Anyone read this book?
Cheers guys,
Ps- more pictures are coming from our photoshoot - up on TFH thread in the photo section!!!
Mark A - AFRA
